CESENA, Italy — Giro d´Italia leader and favourite Remco Evenepoel had to withdraw from the race after testing positive for the coronavirus.
The Belgian cyclist had reclaimed the Giro d’Italia pink jersey after dramatically edging out Geraint Thomas by a single second in the stage nine time trial.
But his Soudal Quick-Step team later announced that the world champion had returned a positive test for COVID-19 after the end of the ninth stage.
“I am really sorry to be leaving the race,” the 23-year-old Belgian said according to AP. “As part of the team´s protocol; I took a routine test, which unfortunately was positive.
“My experience here has been really special and I was looking forward to competing over the next two weeks. I can´t thank enough the staff and the riders who sacrificed so much in preparation for the Giro. I will be cheering them on over the next two weeks.”
Thomas looked to have done enough when he beat fellow Briton and Ineos Grenadiers team-mate Tao Geoghegan Hart by the same margin in the 35-kilometre race from Savignano sul Rubicone to Cesena.
But Evenepoel flew out of the traps and, despite appreciably slowing after the first time check, the Belgian had enough in the tank to pip Thomas by crossing the line in 41 minutes and 24 seconds.
“I don’t think I paced it very well,” Evenepoel said. “I started too fast and my second part wasn’t that great.
The race ends in Rome on May 28.
“I found some better legs in the technical part because I could recover a bit. I wasn’t feeling too well in the second part with the head wind. It’s another stage win, but it wasn’t my best time trial.
“To go to the mountains with the advantage I have now is pretty good, but Ineos for sure will have some plans to attack me.
“But we have a strong team and a lot of confidence. I will have to recover well because my last two stages weren’t my best days. Firstly I want to enjoy this victory.”
Thomas remains without a stage win at the Giro and reflected ruefully on his fourth runner-up finish in the event’s time trial, having come second twice in 2012 and once in 2017.
“It’s nice to be getting better, but to be so close to the win kind of hurts,” he said.
“A few too many seconds for my liking, but it’s good to be in it anyway. Myself and Teo right up there looks good for the next part of the race.”
Team Jumbo–Visma rider Primoz Roglic sits third in the general classification, 47 seconds adrift of the lead, with Hart fourth, a further three seconds back.
World road race champion Evenepoel, 23, said he struggled in the wind and rain despite claiming victory.
“I started too fast and suffered a little midway, but I got my legs back in the end,” said Evenepoel, who won the time trial on stage one before losing the leader’s jersey on stage four.
“It’s not the best result, but I won even if it wasn’t a top performance.”
“I make a mistake by making a sort of acceleration 700m from the top to try to get up to him,” Evenepoel said.
“I got to within five or six metres of him, but then we turned into the steepest part of the climb, and I struggled for a moment. I saw Primoz ride away metre by metre.
“In hindsight, I should have tackled that climb the same way Thomas did. He rode his own pace to the top. That’s another lesson I learned from an experienced rider. Maybe I had the legs to follow, but if I use them wrong, then it’s an extra pity.”
